BREAKING NEWS

Senior W. Bank rabbi calls on Wallerstein to resign as Yesha Council head

Senior W. Bank rabbi cal

Elon Moreh Chief Rabbi Elyakim Levanon has called on Pinchas Wallerstein to resign as chairman of the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip (Yesha) after the latter said soldiers must not be allowed to voice political views and called for a crackdown on such expressions within the army. Wallerstein's declaration followed the incident in which infantrymen displayed a sign pledging never to help evacuate the Samaria settlement of Homesh during their swearing-in ceremony at the Western Wall last week. Levanon on Saturday night appealed to each and every soldier to publicly express his opinions, while slamming Wallerstein for "severely exploiting his status, despite knowing that he holds minority opinions within the council." The prominent rabbi also threatened to resign from his position in the council's plenum if Wallerstein remained chairman.